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6 Best Practices for Creating a Content Marketing Strategy
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Today’s Presenters
Leo Merle Marketing Programs Manager Act-On Software, Inc.
Eric Albertson President Albertson Performance Group, Inc.
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Agenda
• Understanding Content Marketing
• Content is Key to Engagement
• 6 Best Practices
• Resources
• Q&A
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Understanding Content Marketing
Marketers, on average, spend
>25% of their marketing budget on content marketing. – B2B Marketing Insider 62%
of companies outsource their content marketing – up 7% from 2012 – Mashable
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Understanding Content Marketing
61% of consumers say they feel better about a company that delivers custom content and they are more likely to buy from that company. – Custom Content Council 90%
of consumers find custom content useful and 78% believe that organizations
providing custom content are interested in building good relationships with them. – TMG Custom Media
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Content is Key to Engagement
1. Stakeholder support from executive team
and key people or departments
2. Understand your audience who they are
and what they want and need from you.
3. Identify the right content formula to
facilitate conversations and take the next steps.
4. Create an editorial calendar to bolster a
cohesive story for your audience.
5. Get maximum mileage of content by
repurposing through multiple channels.
6. Measuring and reporting key
performance indicators tied to the business
value of your program.
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6 BEST PRACTICES
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Realistic determination of:
• Investment: time and money
• ROI
• Timeline
• Learning
• Reproducibility
Best Practice #1
Stakeholder Support
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Engaging in What?
The Buying Process
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Best Practice #2
Understand Your Audience
Select
• Product/Service
• Geography
• Use-Case
Survey
• 5-15 customers for that product/service
• 2-3 Salespeople
• Product Managers
• Customer Service
Value Proposition
www.meclabs.com
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Best Practice #3
Identify the Right Content Formula
Status Quo
Status Quo
Commit to
Change
Explore Options
Commit to a Solution
Justify the Decision
Make the Decision
Remember Perspectives Roles and Personas
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Best Practice #4
Create an Editorial Calendar
Core Buying Process
Events And
Announcements
Nurturing
Adjust with
Analytics
• Keep Fresh • Cover all Role Perspectives
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5
Best Practice #5
Get Maximum Mileage Out of Your Content
1
2
3
4
6
Key Points • Easy to get
• Worthwhile to consume
• Specific to stat in buying process
• Relevant to role/persona
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Best Practice #6
Develop a Process for Measuring and Reporting
Simple
• Raw Leads
• Marketing Qualified Leads
• Sales Qualified Leads
• Sales Accepted Leads
Set weekly targets
Counter-measure to fix missed targets
Follow the 80/20 rule
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6 Best Practices for
Creating a Content Marketing Strategy
Get Stakeholder Support
Understand Your Audience
Identify the Right Formula
Create an Editorial Calendar
Get Maximum Mileage Out of Your Content
Develop a Process for Measuring and Reporting
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Resources
For a variety of resources: www.act-on.com/resources
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Current Event
Dreamforce ’13 – San Francisco
Visit us @ booth N1901 Moscone Center
747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA
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Q&A
Leo Merle Marketing Programs Manager Act-On Software, Inc.
Eric Albertson President Albertson Performance Group, Inc.
www.act-on.com | @ActOnSoftware | #ActOnSW
Next Steps
Interested in a demo Call +1 (877) 530-1555 Email [email protected] Web www.act-on.com